Mammals, both humans and animals, are known to suffer from various conditions involving inflammation with concomitant swelling, tenderness, decreased mobility, pain, and fever. While a number of antiinflammatory agents are effective in the symptomatic treatment of such inflammatory conditions as rheumatoid arthritis, rheumatoid spondylitis, osteoarthritis, degenerative joint diseases, and the like, many such agents have a number of undesirable side effects, such as gastric irritation and the like.
The etiology and pathogenesis of rheumatic and arthritic diseases remain obscure. Meanwhile, the need continues for safer, better calibrated drugs which will slow the process and alleviate the symptoms of inflammatory diseases. For example, in rheumatoid arthritis, any agent which reduces the inflammation is important in lessening or delaying the development of crippling.